The Cosmic Balance
History Born on the lush planet of Bakura, the Cosmic Balance began as a simple religion of neutrality. Under the guidance of the Hierophant Dif Istuvi the Balance flourished, spreading throughout Bakura, into Orus and from there throughout the galaxy. The followers of the Cosmic Balance believe that every action in the universe has an equal and opposite reaction elsewhere. If someone has good luck, then elsewhere, someone would have an equal amount of bad luck. If two people fell in love, elsewhere two lovers were separated. If one person found three credits, then three other people would lose a credit each. The concept of pruning excess spikes off of cloudberries being necessary for agreeable fruit was used as a allusion for followers of the Cosmic Balance. This belief system posits that for every positive in the galaxy, there is a negative; that one person's success must come at the price of another's failure. Affluence was offset by poverty, and the strength and power of someone like a Jedi Knight came at the cost of depriving another. Symbolism The symbol of the Cosmic Balance was a half-black, half-white ring; it was customary for adherents of the faith to pendants of this symbol, usually on necklaces. Feather and Bowl According to the Cosmic Balance and the leadership of the Kurtzen, the Rule of Feather and Bowl was established to ensure the balance of the galaxy was maintained at the level of individual families. Families who worshiped the Cosmic Balance strove to have their children in pairs, as befitting an even-numbered - and, thus, balanced - family unit. During their teenage years, the two children were given aptitude tests. The more promising child received a white feather, while the other received a golden bowl. The so-called Child of the Bowl was then placed in a communal Simple Home, while the Child of the Feather remained in the Bakuran society and received educational funding from the Zanazi. The Bowl This symbol of the Cosmic Balance religion indicated a follower who lived in poverty during their life. The Bowl stood in opposition to - or in balance with - The Feather. The choice of which members of each generation held the Bowl was often made by parents, with the help of the Kurtzen, and was governed by the Rule of Feather and Bowl. One child from each family pair - the so-called Child of the Bowl - was chosen to receive the Bowl, and was forced to leave Bakuran society and live in a communal Simple Home for the rest of their lives. However, as demanded by the Cosmic Balance, each Child of the Bowl would get to spend their afterlife living in relative wealth in order to maintain the balance of the universe. The Feather This white feather was a symbol of the Cosmic Balance religion, and indicated a follower who lived in wealth during their life. It stood in opposition of - or balanced with - The Bowl. This children were deemed worthy of holding The Feather were provided with educational funding by the Kurtzen, and often became leaders of industry and govnerment, if not the religion itself. The choice of which members of each generation held the Feather was often made by parents, with the help of the Kurtzen, under the Rule of Feather and Bowl. However, as demanded by the Cosmic Balance, each so-called Child of the Feather would have to spend their afterlife living in poverty in order to maintain the balance of the universe. Child of the Feather According to the religion of the Cosmic Balance, families were required to have children in pairs, in order to help maintain the balance of the galaxy. Under the Rule of Feather and Bowl, each pair of children was given an aptitude test during their teenage years, with the more-promising child being given a white feather. Then known as a Child of the Feather, the teenager was allowed to remain in the Bakuran society and received educational funding from the Kurtzen. This balanced out the relative poverty experienced by the Child of the Bowl. However, the Child of the Feather could look forward to living in relative poverty in the afterlife, thereby ensuring the continued balance of the galaxy. Child of the Bowl The Child of the Bowl left home to join a communal Simple Home, serving the Zanazi, often seen as the weak, or not as promising child. Some Children of the Bowl left the Faith, but most submitted to a lifetime of service. See also * Alissma Category:Organizations Category:Non Faction Group